About Us
Who We Are (And What Makes Us Different)
We're Taite Westendorf and Bassel Khalaf, Virginia Beach criminal defense attorneys with 35 years of combined experience. We met as public defenders, tried our first cases together there, and eventually started this firm to give people facing criminal charges what they actually need: honest advice, real trial experience, and lawyers who know how to fight back. We're not interested in the marketing BS that dominates this industry — no "Top Lawyer" badges, no "Best Attorney" awards. Those are gimmicks. We'd rather show you receipts: actual trial transcripts, actual case results, and let you decide for yourself.
Why We Don't Care About "Awards" and Why You Shouldn't Either
You won't find us plastering our website with "Top Lawyer" badges or "Best Attorney" awards. Those are marketing gimmicks, not earned. We'd rather show you the receipts: our actual case results, actual trial transcripts, and a track record that speaks for itself. If someone claiming to be a "top-rated" attorney can't show you proof of their trial and motions work, they're probably full of it.
The Public Defender Background (Why It Matters)
Being a public defender is the best training ground in criminal defense. You handle more serious cases in a year than most private attorneys handle in their careers. You don't get to cherry-pick or turn down the tough ones — you get murders, rapes, armed robberies, the whole deal. And you try them. A lot. We cut our teeth the hard way, and it made us better lawyers. Now in private practice, we keep our combined caseload to approximately 50 cases, which means every client gets real attention, not the assembly-line treatment.
What We Actually Do
We handle criminal cases in Virginia Beach and throughout Hampton Roads — Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton. We don't specialize in one type of case, because criminal defense doesn't work that way — but that doesn't mean all cases are the same. Drug cases often turn on Fourth Amendment suppression issues. Murder and malicious wounding cases involve self-defense claims and nuanced arguments about malice and intent. Gun charges raise constructive possession and forensic issues. Sexual assault cases demand credibility battles and careful parsing of forensic findings. We've handled all of them, and tried them when the stakes were at their highest:
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Drug possession and distribution (cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, meth, pills, marijuana—you name it)
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Gun charges (possession by felon, brandishing, concealed weapon)
The Trial & Appellate Experience Most Lawyers Don't Have
Many criminal defense attorneys have very little actual trial experience. Prosecutors can smell that from a mile away, and it costs their clients leverage. We've secured not guilty verdicts in jury trials involving murder, rape, multiple counts of sexual battery, forcible sodomy, malicious wounding, robbery, assault on law enforcement, and firearm charges — and we publish the transcripts to prove it. We also both have significant experience in the Court of Appeals of Virginia and the Supreme Court of Virginia: drafting briefs, arguing cases, overturning convictions. Most trial lawyers have never done appellate work, which means they don't know which objections preserve issues or which arguments hold up under scrutiny. We do, and it makes us better trial lawyers. We're not just thinking about winning today, we're protecting your case at every level.
How We Work
When you hire our firm, you get two lawyers for the price of one. Every case is reviewed and prepared by both of us. We strategize together, we prepare together, and if your case goes to trial, we almost always try it together. This isn't a situation where you hire one lawyer and get stuck with their inexperienced associate. We're honest, even when it's not what you want to hear. Some lawyers tell you what you want to hear to get hired. We'll give you an honest assessment — the good, the bad, and the ugly — and explain what's realistically achievable and what isn't.
Strategy over bluster. A lot of lawyers market themselves as "aggressive." That's meaningless. Good defense is strategy, preparation, and knowing the law and the evidence better than the other side. Sometimes the best move is a motion to suppress. Sometimes it's a trial. Sometimes it's a favorable plea. We come up with the strategy that gives you the best outcome.
Flat fees, no surprises. One price for most cases, whether your case gets continued four times, requires extensive motion work, or goes to trial. The only potential additional costs are for a jury trial (discussed upfront) or expert witnesses if needed. We never want money driving your decisions mid-case.
What to Expect If You Call
The consultation is free. You'll talk to one of us — not a secretary, not an intake person. We'll listen, ask questions, and give you a straight read: what you're facing, your options, what we can realistically accomplish and what we can't. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you that too. There are a lot of lawyers out there making big promises. Our approach is simple: we let our work speak for itself, we treat clients with respect, and we fight like hell when it matters. Questions? Visit the FAQ or call 757-961-3311.